


Be Careful What You Wish For

by magician



Category: The Sentinel (TV)
Genre: Christmas Cookies, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Holidays, M/M, Secret Santa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-31
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-09-30 22:57:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17232719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magician/pseuds/magician
Summary: Blair regrets opening his mouth





	Be Careful What You Wish For

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the 2018 TS Secret Santa Extravaganza. I realized we didn't have much in the way of baking prompts this year, and I missed the Wreath Drabble prompt, so here's something that popped in my head that works for both.
> 
> "Be careful what you wish for, you may receive it" -Anonymous.

As he approached the door to his home, Jim Ellison was surprised by the telltale smell of sweets baking exuding from within.  He was sure Blair had said he'd finished with his holiday baking a week before.  
  
"What's up, babe," he asked as he surveyed Blair in the kitchen, surrounded by cookie sheets, flour, sugar, and butter, his face smudged, looking frazzled. "I thought you were done baking for Christmas."  
  
"I was," Blair answered tiredly.  "But I had to open my big mouth and now I'm not."  
  
Jim came over and gave Blair a hug, risking getting flour all over his clothes.  "What happened?"  
  
"Well, you know we didn't have a cookie sale this year, or any kind of bake sale. We did that auction instead."  Jim nodded.  "So, I was… not exactly complaining, but kind of wistful that we didn't do anything ourselves, you know?" Jim nodded again. He figured keeping silent was the quickest way to get the full story.  
  
"So," Blair continued, "Rhonda heard me talking to H about it, and she got all excited and roped me into helping her.  She's having a get together at her church and _they're_ having a bake sale.  Seems she bit off more than she could chew and was so happy I was looking for something to do.  She made a quick trip to the store and got me a Spritz cookie press, gave me a recipe and my marching orders." He looked up at Jim.  "How could I say no to Rhonda?"  
  
Jim smiled, "I guess you can't.  She gets that pleading look on her face that rivals yours."  He went to the fridge and pulled out a couple of bottles of beer.  "So, how many do you have to make?" he asked, already thinking he'd order take-out food for dinner.  
  
"Twenty-five dozen," Blair answered quietly.  
  
Jim pulled back and looked at Blair in astonishment. _"Twenty-five dozen?"_  
  
"Yeah, and they have to be ready for tomorrow."  Blair sighed and took a slug of beer as he looked around at the chaos of the kitchen.  
  
"Okay, what can I do," Jim asked.  
  
Blair threw his arms around him. "Oh, thank you, thank you.  I know this wasn't what you expected…"  
  
Jim laughed.  "Babe, with you I've learned to expect the unexpected.  So…?"  
  
"Okay," Blair said, visibly gathering energy. "I'm making wreaths, see?" Jim nodded at the cookies that were already done and the dough that had been pressed onto the cookie sheets.  "Before they go in the oven, they need to have the berries added to them. The recipe called for red hots, but I thought that might be too harsh for some people.  So instead I got mini M&Ms, the Christmas ones that are only red and green.  You can pick out the red ones and place them in a cluster on each cookie. That would save so much time, because stopping after I press the cookies to add the berries is really slowing me down--"  
  
"I get it, Chief.  You shoot them on the tray, I put three candies on them and we get them in the oven." Blair nodded happily.  "And I get to keep the green ones, right?"  
  
"Hey, I'll get you your own bag if you like.  All I ask is that you forego sentinel precision and get them done quickly.  It's unnecessary for them to look identical, okay?"  
  
Jim gave Blair a quick salute.  "Aye, aye, Captain. We're going for speed and accuracy, but not perfection."  He started placing the candies as Blair pressed another set on a second cookie sheet.  In a matter of minutes, they had the trays in the oven. "While we're waiting for them to be done, how about I order from Wong's?  Then I can start cleaning up here."  
  
"Sounds great.  Just don't put the mixer and ingredients away.  I'll need to make a couple more batches."  
  
Jim called in their usual order and requested delivery. Smelling the cookies in the oven were still a few minutes from being done, he went upstairs to change into casual clothes, then went back to help his partner.  
  
Despite the small size of the kitchen, their usual ease of working together got things accomplished. By the time the cookies were cooling and two more trays were in the oven, Jim had cleaned assorted utensils and washed out the mixing bowl in preparation for another batch of dough.  By the time the batch of dough was done, the next cookies were cooling and Wong's had delivered shrimp dumplings, eggplant with black bean sauce, chicken with chestnuts and brown rice.  
  
Two productive hours later, the cookies were packed in tins, the kitchen was clean, the leftovers were nestled in Tupperware and they were snuggling, exhausted, on the couch.  Just then the phone rang.  Since Blair was closer, he picked it up.  "Oh, hi, Rhonda. … Yeah, they're all done. Jim helped me. I'll deliver them tomorrow morning. … What? Oh, I don't know. …" He saw Jim sit up from his slouched position, looking alarmed. "Yeah, okay.  You're welcome. See you tomorrow."  
  
He hung up the phone to see Jim staring at him in disbelief.  "What could I say? It's Rhonda!"  
  
"So, what does she want now?"  
  
"Well, she said since I've already got the green food coloring and the spritz press, she was wondering whether we could make Christmas trees, too."  


 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Picture courtesy of Family Circle


End file.
